New Nature Preserve on Redan Road Will Educate and Inspire, Community Says

Most folks traveling down the section of Redan Road not far from Redan High School probably have no idea that they are in the vicinity of a 120-year-old historic farmhouse, a Certified Wildlife Habitat, a log cabin, several hens, thriving community garden, and more – all on one property.

But this ample green space, hidden behind a wall of greenery and quietly marked only by a mailbox, is the new Redan Nature Preserve and Environmental Education Center.

The DeKalb County-owned site, at 5354 Redan Road, has been a labor of love for an army of dedicated community volunteers. They have put in time doing everything from raking and relocating a sea of leaves and preparing the garden plot, to bringing in several Rhode Island red hens, which have been laying fresh eggs.

The land also has a number of pear, pecan and black walnut trees, and once had several farm animals. The property belonged to the Garcia family, which lived there for many years. The matriarch died in 2006.

The vision for the space includes restoration, incorporating green energy solutions, and teaching others about environmental science.

“The goal of the Redan Nature Preserve and Environmental Education Center is to preserve the beautiful 9.2 acre natural environment and rural farm history, educate school children and adults in the urban community on environmental science, solar energy and wind energy technology,” said Calvin Sims Sr., the preserve’s volunteer director, who spearheaded the community’s effort to protect the space.

“To accomplish this, we will need $1 million dollars to restore the historic farm and power it with solar energy, and $1.2 million dollars to operate the center for the next 10 years, and I have faith that we can find the money to do this,” he said.

The preserve is a good fit with the Fernbank Science Center, which is always on the lookout for satellite locations where it can work with students, said Doug Hrabe, Fernbank Science Center director. The Redan Nature Preserve will help accomplish this.

Hrabe said he is in discussions with several Fernbank instructors who deal with nature and the environment about classes that can be taught at the site, possibly by the second semester of the upcoming school year. There are other opportunities for schools; Redan High School students could study the water quality of the pond, for example.

The space “has some good history ties as well as the science,” Hrabe said.

Sims and other volunteers in the community are grateful for the assistance. He said "the DeKalb School System/ Fernbank Science Center DeKalb History Center, Congressman Hank Johnson, Georgia's Office of Historic Preservation, and the DeKalb County Commissioners have been very supportive of the community's efforts, and we cannot thank them enough."

Commissioners Stan Watson and Sharon Barnes Sutton have visited the space, and a few school groups and other entities have come for tours.

People involved in the effort are thankful for the virtually undisturbed green space, the property’s historic significance, and the education it can provide to the overall community and students alike.

Robin Griffin of the Chapman’s Mill subdivision tends a patch of the community garden that belongs to her granddaughter.

“It’s fantastic. It just blows my mind,” she said of the space.

Volunteer Evora Ritchie of nearby Redan Trail remembers hearing the horse on the Garcia’s property when she first moved into the community some 23 years ago and seeing ducks waddling about.

Some in the community wondered about the future of the property after the “for sale” sign went up in 2006, and there was indeed interest from a couple of developers, a church and another party, Sims said. But with support from then-Commissioner Connie Stokes and the community commitment behind the space’s preservation, DeKalb County purchased the property last November.

“I’m glad this came true,” Ritchie said.